Workers Celebrate Labor Day

Labor Day is the one day ants all over the world celebrate their lifestyle, which is all about labor. This holiday is their most religious and sacred. Today I will share with you some of the joy of these celebratory activities. Here an ant rises to greet with the dawn with the traditional Labor Day carol: “Sun Arise! Ye Merry Sisters Rejoice!”

Another Labor Day dawn hymn: “Work We Must, But The Slaughtered Caterpillar is Free.”

Here an ant tries to select the biggest and juiciest aphid for the traditional Labor Day feast. Everyone is worried! How will the aphid turn out this year? Moist or Dry? The nest is starting to fill with the delicious smell of aphid preparations!

“Out of the kitchen! Not a taste for anyone until it’s ready! Out you big oaf, you can have a taste when the aphid is done!”

Sometimes on Labor Day water parks can get very crowded!

“Come one and all! Bring your little ones to the Labor Day parade!”

Everyone stands as the honor guard passes to begin the Labor Day parade.

The presentation of the larvae always brings a cheer from the assembled crowd during the Labor Day parade.

A touching scene as a few of the young ants express “thanks for your service” to an old soldier passing in the Labor Day parade who served in the great anteater wars of ’06.

“Presentation of Arms!” from the mandible and pheromone corp elicits a spontaneous release of approving scent as the military passes during the Labor Day parade.

Don’t forget on Labor Day if you find someone standing under a dandelion you get to share a kiss!

It’s easy to overindulge on Labor Day. This one had just a little too much honey dew! She’ll not feel too good come morning!

We always smile when THAT relative shows up that just doesn’t fit in and tends to take more than their share.

All the old ants have to grin when the young winged males and wide-eyed new queens begin the Labor Day dance and start filling the air with THOSE pheromones.

“Is the aphid done yet?”

“For what we are about to receive, we pause to give thanks.” A worm appetizer sets the juices flowing and prepares everyone for the aphid main event.

And as Labor Day comes to a close, ants everywhere stop to reflect on the year–the battles won, the enemies subdued, the pantries raided, the tunnels dug, and the sisters lost to the travails of existence. What will the next year bring? Who will yet stand with us next year when we again sing the carols to Labor Day? How many sisters will be added by the beloved queen? What new terrors will emerge into a universe of battle and struggle? Yet life is good and though we are here for just a moment let us remember, as Labor Day teaches, that the conflict is not for us, but for the colony.

Oh my, this ought to be a children’s book. That’s exactly what the world needs: children’s literature authored by SteveP. It’s the way of evolution, my friend. Once this happens, everything else will have to adapt just to survive.

Also, the nerdiness of the comments is great. Cynthia L and Ben P FTW.